Movies: Past, present and future

'The A-Team's' Rampage Jackson: I don't hate gay people or fat girls

June 9, 2010 | 1:46pm

When The Times' profile of “The A-Team’s” Quinton "Rampage" Jackson went online late last month, the newly minted action star -- who updates Mr. T’s B.A. Baracus role in Fox’s $110-million adaptation of the cheesetacular '80s action-comedy -- raised more than a few eyebrows in the film industry with his piquant appraisal of movie stardom.

"Acting is kind of gay," Jackson said on the movie’s set in Vancouver, Canada. "It makes you soft. You got all these people combing your hair and
putting a coat over your shoulders when you're cold. I don't want a
coat over my shoulders! I'm a tough [individual]!"

But while allegations of homophobia ricocheted around the blogosphere in the story’s aftermath, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship light-heavyweight champion remained silent.

Until now.

Jackson has posted a rejoinder to the story on his website in an effort to provide some much-needed context about what compelled him to wax philosophical about acting in such a way and to go on a seemingly homophobic tirade in front of a reporter, after a crew member wandered into the star’s trailer and called Jackson a gay slur.

The post also calls into question a reporter's motive for quoting Jackson as he shouted homophobic

epithets. And it reveals that Jackson, who has been a public figure in this country since 2006, when he entered the UFC, was unaware that he was on the record when a reporter stopped by his trailer to ask questions for 30 minutes.

Here (directly reprinted from tough-guy actor's registration-required site), Jackson explains himself in his own words (with only the four-letter ones edited out):

"… not only DO I NOT HATE gay people, I actually accept them for who and what they are. They always seem happy and most of them I met are very kind and nice individuals. Yes, and like most straight guys I joke around with the whole gay thing and I see it as comedy, not saying that's right or wrong but I don't do it out of hate. I don't hate fat girls but I make fun of them too.

"When I did that interview I didn't even know I was being interviewed. I was on the set of shooting the movie the A Team and my friend that worked on the set brought the interviewer to my trailer. As he did so, he made fun of me for a poster that was made of me promoting a UFC event at my homegirls bar in Vancouver. The poster was a picture of me with a rainbow flag on the poster somewhere. This girl has been a friend of mine for 7 years and never used me as a meal ticket and if I would die for one friend it was nothing for me to help a friend promote business. So I offered to help promote her bar not knowing that the poster would make its way back to the set and I would be made fun of for going to a gay bar. But I have to say that I visited her bar several times before this event. Not only did I enjoy myself but I was relieved that the guys at this bar did not hound me once. No one offered to buy me a drink.

"Honestly I mean this in the best way, me being a sports figure I attract a lot of male attention wherever I go and MOST straight fans act GAYER than any guys that was at this gay bar that I visited my homegirl at. When I'm in the club guys always offer to buy me drinks, do the prom date picture, stare at me, try to get my attention, tries to dance with me.. even if I'm dancing with a hot chick already. Even though I love ALL MY FANS, this can be overwhelming sometimes, especially when I'm trying to unwind and have fun which in my line of work you don't get much time to do.

"This being said, when I did this interview the interviewer witnessed my friend giving me [grief] and calling me gay. I was so embarrassed and didn't want my ego tainted because I'm a big tough fighter. So yes, I got quite defensive and I'm known to be the best [trash] talker in my business and a fighter in all aspects in life. So I made fun of him back, calling him gay. Only reason why I got a bad report from it was because this guy who was making fun of me and has been my friend on set for about four months (time spent working on the movie) and was gay for real and the reporter being the type of guy he is chose to make THAT his story not knowing that the guy and I were only [trash] talking like we did everyday. OR DID HE KNOW WE WERE [trash] TALKING OR NOT AND JUST WANTED A HOT SCOOP?"

"Honestly I mean this in the best way, me being a sports figure I attract a lot of male attention wherever I go and MOST straight fans act GAYER than any guys that was at this gay bar that I visited my homegirl at."

But overall, come on - there are much worse examples of homophobia we need to be worrying about than this guy. Not to mention that it's a good example, like it or not, of how the very word "gay" seems to have broadened to mean less and less about sexual orientation and more about a general feeling/critique, so much so that "gay" can apply equally to homosexuals and heterosexuals. Crazy world, ain't it?

What the heck? You need to realise this guy is a FIGHTER, He's not an actor, He was offered the part and he accepted, He did his contract and starred in this movie, He is not an actor, He does not need too act like a softcock, He does not have to do anything, He doesn't need to watch what he says now just because he's been in a movie.

He is a FIGHTER, from the STREETS, He couldn't give a rats about the film, Someone asked him in an interview if he'd say a line from the movie, He replied something along the lines of "No, I don't remember any lines from the movie, I'm here too fight, Stop talking about that crap"

He doesn't need too watch what he says, He isn't going to change because people get offended, He has free speech he can say what he wants, And he can act the way he wants.